Heat exchange apparatus



2&38313 Ct. 22, 1935. T WELLS HEAT EXCHANGE APPARATUS Filed July 14, 1954 fig,

INVENTOR.

:7? 7T' M2246 BY fiXlQAACM ATTO NEY Patented Oct. 22, 1935 PATENT OFFICE HEAT EXCHANGE APPARATUS Walter T. Wells, Glendale, CaliL, assignor to The Technicraft Engineering Corporation, Los Angeles, CaliL, a corporation of California Application July 14, 1934, Serial No. 135,214

3 Claims.

The present invention is an improvement in heat exchange apparatus and relates to a tubular conduit of novel structure.

The primary object of my invention is to provide a tube which afiords a maximum surface area, for a given length and diameter, adapted to facilitate transfer of heatfrom one medium to another by convection or radiation.

In the accompanying drawing, Figure l is a longitudinal sectional viewof a heat transfer unit embodying my invention taken substantially along l-l of Figure 2 and with parts and portions in elevation;

Figure 2 is a vertical, central, transverse section of Figure 1, taken on the line 2-2 of said figure with parts and portions in elevation.

Figure 3 is an end view of my improved tube as it would appear from the larger end.

Figure 4 is a reduced partial elevational partial sectional view similar to Figure 1 showing the tubes arranged so that they all taper the same direction.

Referring to the drawing, the numeral I indicates an open ended housing, here shown as oylindrical in form, adapted to contain heat exchange apparatus.

Tube sheets 2 c1ose the open ends of tube I when welded or otherwise secured thereto, as indicated at 3, and said tube sheets are bored through to receive ends of tubes 4.

Tubes 4 are tapered from end to end and are fluted, as indicated at 6 toform internal and external ribs and provide a perimeter greater than that of a cylinder of regular form of the same diameter and length.

The ends, both large and small, of the tubes 4 are reduced, or swedged either by die forming or,

by subsequent machine operation, to cylindrical, concentric form indicated at I, each arris 8 being cut away to abut an inner surface of a tube sheet 2, when said cylindrical portions are extended through bores 9 in said tube sheets, and the ends of tubes 4 rolled, peaned, or welded, as indicated at H, against the outer surface oi tube sheets 2.

When the parts enumerated have been assembled as described, an air-tight enclosure is formed around the banked tubes 4, and when any fluid agent is circulated through said container, entering through an inlet pipe l2 and leaving through an outlet pipe I3, said fluid is evenly distributed around the outside of fluted tubes 4.

In order to provide means for continuous circulation oi. another fluid agent through the in side of tubes 4, for the purpose of heat exchange between the circulated mediums, I provide coverplates l4, having concentric, annular flanges l4-a and radially disposed flanges I i-b. Said plates are secured to tube sheets 2, as by bolts l8, extending through flanges "-1) and into tube sheets 2.

Cover plates 14 are provided with centrally disposed pipes, providing an inlet I1 and outlet l8. 5

The bank formation ottubes is-shown in the drawing as composed of a plurality of banks wherein the tubes 4 occur in alternating relation, the small end of each conductor being secured to a tube sheet 2 between the large ends of two adjacent tubes. This arrangement provides an unrestricted passage, of uniform capacity, around the tubes 4 and between the tub sheets 2, for a In some installations, where the medium, so circulated, expands rapidly when heated, or where thermo-siphon movement is to be accelerated, the banks can be so arranged that all the smaller ends of said conductors extend through one of the 20 tube sheets 2 and the larger ends through the other tube sheet, as shown in Figure 4.

In such an installation an opposite influence can be applied to the @irculated medium by ciru culating it in a reverse direction.

I claim:

1. A; heat exchanger including a pair of headers and two equal groups oi. similar tubes extending between said headers, said tubes being tapered and those of one group having their smaller ends so communicating with one header and the tubes 0! the other group having their larger ends communicating with said header.

2. A heat exchanger including a pair of headers and two equal groups of similar tubes extendalternating relation to provide a tortuous path a for said fluid. 3. A heat exchanger including a pair of headers and two equal groups of similar tubes extending between said headers, said tubes being tapered and those of one group having their smaller ends communicating with one header and the tubes of the other group having their larger ends communicating with said header, each of said tubes provided with axially directed ribs, and the tubes of the two groups arranged in alternating rela-' tion whereby a fluid traversing said tubes tends ll to flow along the exterior of said tubes.

wan-ma 'r. m.

medium circulated through inlet i i and discharge 1 

